There are hundreds of cases of families who are left by either the father or the mother, or both parents. And their reasons for doing so are just as varied – to work abroad, a new family, to look for greener pasture, military deployment, etc. The yearning for parental love becomes more evident with the coming of the holidays, that is why there is a need for support organizations and non-profit groups which exist to help families who are going through these trials.

Support organizations and non-profit groups are there to help families financially, emotionally, morally and sometimes physically. Times are hard for those who are motherless or fatherless, and they exist to assist and help ease the burden in ways they can offer.

If you are one of those families or you know families undergoing a difficult plight especially during the Christmas season, here are some support organizations and non-profit groups which you may tap for assistance:

• E.L.F. Entertainment, Inc. offers a Christmas program called Decorated Families Program. Every year, certain families are chosen to have their houses decorated without any charge.

• The Armed Forces Foundation is a support organization which helps families of military personnel undergoing struggles. Through their wide array of programs, the foundation assists with utilities and rent, travel and hotel costs, gives gifts to children of military, and conducts other recreational activities. In fact, 94 cents out of each dollar that the AFF receives goes to troops and their respective families.

• A website named TheSoldierConnection.com was designed to help families of military men connect to their loved ones who have been assigned overseas. It aims to bridge the gap between deployed soldiers and their families who were left home by displaying news and other uplifting stories.

• Chartered by the Congress as a non-profit group, the United Service Organization provides moral, welfare and other recreational facilities to uniformed military servicemen.

• Project Valour-IT stands for Project Voice-Activated Laptops for OUR Injured Troops. Hundred percent of the donations to this non-profit group is used to purchase laptops and provide or ship them to wounded members so they can communicate with their families and friends back home.

Yearning families need not worry too much nowadays. The emergence and presence of support organizations and non-profit groups make the battle much easier to bear. And as long as there are people who are willing to donate, volunteer and help families who are in dire need, these support organizations will go a long way.

This Article is written by James Kara Murat, contributor of US Navy SEAL Blog.